Page:Stories of Norse Gods and Heroes.djvu/22

16 the sons of Ivakl, who had made the gifts, were the best workmen in the world.

Brok, an elf of another family, heard him, and exclaimed angrily, "Sindre, my brother, is the best blacksmith in the whole world!"

Loke dared Brok to show him three gifts of Sindre's making equal to the spear, the ship, and the hair.

Brok hastened to Sindre and told him. The two brothers began the work at once. Sindre put a pig-skin into the furnace and told Brok to blow the fire with the bellows while he went out. Brok worked with a will. Loke had followed him, and now changed himself into a fly and stung Brok's ear. But Brok worked steadily, never stopping to brush it off.

Sindre came back and took out the pig-skin, and it had become a golden pig. So bright was it, that it made the cave as light as day.

Then Sindre put a little piece of gold into the furnace and went out again. Again, as Brok worked at the bellows, the fly came, and stung him on the nose. But the elf did not stop for an instant.

When Sindre took out the gold it had become a magic golden ring. Prom it every ninth night dropped eight golden rings.

This time Sindre brought a piece of iron and